Moistening device



March 10, 1959 H. LINK MOJQISTENING DEVICE Filed Nov. 27. 1956 IN l/ENTOR ,5; g

United States Patent MOISTENING DEVICE Hilarius Link, Frankfurt am Main,Germany 7 Application November 27, 1956, Serial No. 624,706

6 Claims. (Cl. 118-266) of rubber, whereby the cup-shaped feeding pumpcoop-- crates with a rising pipe acting as nozzle and coupled at itsupper end to a spray-nozzle-cap perforated in crosslike fashion andadjustable by means of a thread, and whereby the lower end of the risingpipe is provided with an extension for the limitation of the stroke.This known feeding contrivance is particularly intended for use as ameans for feeding consecrated water to consecrated water basins, and forthat reason is unsuited as a moistening contrivance in conformity withthe object of the present invention. This known feeding device has thedrawback that it does not convey a satisfactory quantity of water, asrequired for the moistening of large quantities of stamps, envelopes andgummed tape.

It has further already been proposed to employ as conveying contrivancefor moistening means a feed pump devised as a rubber ball pump and whichin its suction branch is provided with a check valve. However, ballpumps provided with a check valve' or simply with a valve have thedrawback that after a'comparatively short lifetime the valve sticks tothe branch and becomes oxidized because of the injurious effectssediments of adhesive substance.

The present invention overcomes the disadvantages of known devices bysurroundingthe rising pipe or nozzle pipe at its upper end, where itprojects fromthe moistening liquid, by a preferably funnel-shapedreservoir, which simultaneously serves as collecting basin for theimpurities separating from the moisture-and below this reservoir inknown manner by an elastic pump element of cuplike formation andprovided on its inner surface directly above its outer rim with aninwardly projecting annular sealing part.

Another advantage of the invention resides in the feature that thebottom of the vessel containing the moistening liquid is provided withradially extending ribs of small height adapted for the enlarged rim ofthe cupshaped elastic pump element to rest against in its position ofrest, and in addition to this with an annular recess for the annularsealing part of the elastic pump element to engage in its depressedcondition, so that the moistening means enclosed in the elasticcup-shaped pump element and in the rising pipe can be pumped underpressure into the aforesaid reservoir and into the superimposed sieveelement or storage pad for the moisture for the separation or extractiontherefrom of moisture according to requirements.

Additional features and advantages of the invention produced by the willbe understood from a consideration of the following detailed descriptiontaken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part ofthis specification and in which an embodiment of the invention has beenshown by way of example. However, I wishto say that the invention is notconfined to any strict conformity with the showing of the drawings butmay be changed or modified, so long as such changes or modificationsmark no material departure from the salient features of the invention asexpressed in the appended claims.

In the drawings, in which like parts are referred to by the samereference numerals,

Fig. 1 is a central vertical section of the moistening device in itsposition of rest;

Fig. 2 is a central vertical section of the moistening device of Fig. l,with its elastic cup-shaped pump, element in depressed condition for thefeeding of the moistening means into the reservoir and onto themoistenin pad between the sieve lamellae.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the container of the liquidconsists of a lower part 1 and of an upper part 2 of saucer-likeformation in which the conveying device or feeding device of themoistening means is accommodated. The conveying or feeding deviceconsistsof the elastic cup-shaped pump element 3 provided with (in knownmanner) an outer rim 4 of enlarged width and of slightly undulatingshape. Provided on the inner surface of the pump element 3 is aninwardly bulging annular sealing part 5 projecting in inclined directiontoward the center axis of a nozzle pipe 6 centrally ex tending into theinterior of the pump element 3 and terminating at its projecting upperend in a nozzle 7.

The nozzle pipe 6 has its upper projecting portion located in areservoir 8 of funnel-like shape and which at its upper end is closed upby a screwable sieve 10, 11. Clampingly secured in a recess of theshiftable sieve support 9 are at least two sieve lamellae 10 of thinartificial material, and arranged in pre-tensioned condition between thelamellae 10 is an elastic pad 11 or som similar hygroscopic intermediatelayer, consisting for ex ample of felt, spongy material or the like.Owing to the arrangement of the lenticular pad 11 between the twolamellae 10, the upper lamella is slightly curved in up-v ward-and thelower lamella in downward direction. The

outwardly projecting lower rim 12 of the sieve support 9 is sealed bymeans of a packing ring 13, for examplea rubber ring or the like,against the superimposed part 2 of saucer-like formation of thecontainer 1. Provided in' the bottom of the container 1 is'an annularrecess 14 in t which the annular sealingpart 5 of the cup-like pumpelement sealingly engages in its depressed condition. The container 1 ispreferably so shaped that it terminates at itsupper end in an inwardlythreaded cylindricalcollar into which the outwardly threaded cylindricalcollar 17 of the saucer-like part 2 is screwed. The dropping-cuplikepart 2 is devised on its inside as guide surface for the sieve support9. Naturally, the container 1 as well as the saucer-like part 2 may alsoconsist of one single piece of material.

The feeding device for the moistening means as disclosed in the presentinvention operates as follows: After at least half of the inner space ofthe container 1 has been filled with the moistening water, the feedingdevice as hereinbefore already described is introduced into it. Themoistening means does then rise, via the recesses 16 in the rim 4 of theelastic pump element, in the nozzle pipe to the same level. A slightpressure exerted upon the sieve support 9 does then lower the entirefeed ing device because of the elastic pump element 3, whereby theenlarged rim 4 expands and whereby the bulging sealing part 5 moves intocontact with the bottom of the container 1 or engages in the annularrecess 14 of the f I as /sass closed in the elastic pump element 4 andin the nozzle pipe 6 are forced via the nozzle 7 of the rising pipe 6into the preferably funnel-shaped reservoir 8. Repeated pressures ofthis kind will fill up the reservoir 8, which simultaneously serves as ameans in which impurities contained in the moistening liquid aredeposited. The moistening means rise up to the height of the sievelamellac 10 and to the pad 11 interposed between the lamellae 10, fromwhich they can be taken according to requirements. The preferablylenticular pad 11 positioned between the outwardly curved sieve lamellae10 has the capacity of absorbing the moistening means amply. Lightpressure exerted upon the upper lamella 10 results in slight compressionof the pad 11 and in uniform distribution of the moistening means withinthe pad and in uni form supply of the moistening means from the pad.

In a modified form of construction the feeding device, as hereinbeforealready described, may be directly arranged in a downwardly elongatedcylindrical collar 17 of the part 2, which in this case would be ofentirely cylindrical formation and slidingly positioned in the uppercylindrical end portion of the container 1. The undula tions in theenlarged rim 4 of the pump element 3, mentioned in the first form ofconstruction, may then be omitted, so that the rim 4 is then ofstraight-lined formation. In this modified form of construction, thebottom of the container is preferably provided with radially extendingslightly projecting thin bar-like ribs 18 serving as support for thestraight-lined enlarged rim 4 to rest against, so that in the positionof rest enough moistening means are enabled to pass underneath theenlarged rim 4 into the cup and rising pipe.

The device of the present invention is sealed toward the outside, sothat the moistening means within the device are protected against theentering of dust or impurities, as well as against evaporation. Forhygienic reasons an adequate dose of means capable of destroyingbacteria, for example chlorine or the like, is added to the moisteningmeans, so that after a short period of reaction the moistening means areabsolutely free from germs and fatal to all kinds of germs coming incontact with the moistening means during the use of the device.

It may further be mentioned that the aforesaid pump element 3 maypreferably be formed integral with said rising pipe 6 and said reservoir8 from elastic material of different wall thicknesses, such as rubber,artificial material or the like.

In the same way, it is possible to form also said projecting annularsealing part integral with said elastic pump element of one piece ofmaterial, or to form said sealing part separately and to arrange it inan annular recess of said elastic pump element.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is:

1. In a moistening device for the moistening of stamps,

bottom. The result is that the moistening means enenvelopes, gummed tapeor the like, a container of suit able shape terminating at its top in anopen cylindrical end portion and provided in its bottom with an annularrecess and having at least half of its inner space filled with themoistening liquid; a sieve element provided with a storage member forthe moistening liquid shiftably guided within and closing up saidcylindrical end portion; an elastic pump element of cup-shaped formationopen at its bottom and provided with an outwardly projecting enlargedannular rim and with an inwardly projecting annular sealing part adaptedfor engagement in said annular recess in the bottom of said containerwhen in depressedcondition; a rising pipe having its open lower portioncentrally secured in said elastic cup-shaped pump element and openinginto said cup shaped element and having its upper portion terminating ina nozzle in close proximity of said sieve element; and a reservoir offunnel-shaped formation rigidly embracing at its lower end the upper portion of said rising pipe and having its upper end rigidly secured to andclosed up by said shiftably guided sieve element for sliding movementwith the latter, said reservoir being adapted for storage therein ofmoistening liquid pumped up by said elastic pump element and servingsimultaneously as collecting basin for sediments of said moisteningliquid.

2. A moistening device as specified in claim 1, in which said cup-shapedpump element is formed integral with said rising pipe and with saidreservoir from elastic material.

3. A moistening device as specified in claim 1, including a saucer-likepart provided with a cylindrical lower portion shiftably positioned bymeans of said cylindrical lower portion within said open cylindrical endportion of said container and in which said sieve element andappertaining reservoir, rising pipe and pump element are shiftablyguided.

4. A moistening device as specified in claim 1, in which the bottom ofsaid container is provided with a plurality of radially extendinginwardly projecting ribs adapted for the enlarged annular rim of saidpump element to rest against in its position of rest.

5. A moistening device as specified in claim 1, in which said projectingannular sealing part of said elastic pump element extends in inclineddirection toward the axis of said rising pipe and is formed integralwith said elastic pump element from one piece of material.

. 6. A moistening device as specified in claim 1, in which saidprojecting annular sealing part of said elastic pump element is whensaid elastic pump element is in depressed References Cited in the fileof this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Weaver et al Feb. 17, 1903 MetznerMay 17, 1910

